Kirjahaku

When the former allies of World War II divided Germany into two provisional states, no one would have predicted that this would last for nearly half a century. Nor could anyone have predicted that sixty years later, Germany would have shaken off its Nazi past so thoroughly as to emerge as a key player in Western politics.Gert-Joachim Glaessner explains this historic transformation and provides an in-depth introduction to the German political system, its foundations and developments since 1949. Themes covered include the development of the FDR and GDR during the Cold War, the politics of Westernization, the controversies of West Germany's role in NATO and European integration. The author also examines parliamentary institutions, the role of the German Chancellor, party structure and organized interest groups. The book includes reference material from key documents, such as the German Constitution.Demonstrating how Germany went from political pariah to a model of modern liberal democracy, Glaessner offers a concise overview of the German political system in the post-war period.

When the former allies of World War II divided Germany into two provisional states, no one would have predicted that this would last for nearly half a century. Nor could anyone have predicted that sixty years later, Germany would have shaken off its Nazi past so thoroughly as to emerge as a key player in Western politics.Gert-Joachim Glaessner explains this historic transformation and provides an in-depth introduction to the German political system, its foundations and developments since 1949. Themes covered include the development of the FDR and GDR during the Cold War, the politics of Westernization, the controversies of West Germany's role in NATO and European integration. The author also examines parliamentary institutions, the role of the German Chancellor, party structure and organized interest groups. The book includes reference material from key documents, such as the German Constitution.Demonstrating how Germany went from political pariah to a model of modern liberal democracy, Glaessner offers a concise overview of the German political system in the post-war period.

Fiir viele Biirger der Bundesrepublilc Deutschland ist die DDR ein femes Land, dessen Bild oft von Vorurteilen verstellt ist. Das politische und gesellschaftIiche System im anderen deutschen Staat ist ihnen fremd. Zugleich aber ist die DDR nab. Viele verwandtschaftliche Beziehungen und freundschaftIiche Verbindungen haben sich erhalten; neue sind gewachsen. Aber je Uinger die beiden deutschen Staaten und Gesellschaften ihren eigenen Weg gehen, urn so mehr pdlgen die un- terschiedlichen sozialen und politischen Erfahrungen das Denken und Handeln der Menschen. Als Erben deutscher Geschichte und als Exponenten konkurrierender sozialOkonomischer und politischer Systeme sind beide Staaten gezwungen, sich immer wieder mit dem jeweils anderen auseinanderzusetzen. Trotz aller Versuche, .normal" miteinander umzugehen, bleibtein Unbehagen, das nicht auf die staatIichen Beziehungen bescluiinkt bleibt, sondem weit ins per- sOnliche Leben der Deutschen in beiden Staaten hineinreicht. Jeder Besuch in der DDR und jeder Besuch eines DDR-Biirgers in der Bundesrepublilc wird von der Teilung des Landes und den unterschiedlichen sozialen und politischen Gegeben- heiten bestimmt. In der persOnlichen Begegnung suchen Bundesbiirger und DDR- Biirger nach Gemeinsamkeiten und stellen doch immer wieder fest, wie verschie- den sie geworden sind.